Even Through Nightmares
by CrimsonnMaiden
Summary: Hiccstrid Drabble. Forever, is a long, very long time. So why not then chopping it in several treasured pieces? Even through the darkest nights, Hiccup and Astrid showed how they were always there for their own family, no matter the circumstances, no matter how tired they felt like. (Hiccstrid drabble)
1. Even Through Nightmares

Someone messaged me on my new tumblr blog, asking me to share the drabble with you guys through this site. I think it wasn't a bad idea at all so I granted the request and at the same time followed the advice. One other point I'd like to point out is that thanks to my little-not-so-brilliantly-awaken-head, I forgot the email I used for my first tumblr blog and created another one. I am transferring everything from crimsonviking to scarletmilady through reblogs and all the updates will be on scarletmilady.

Please let me know whether you have a request you'd like for me to develop into a drabble referent to How To Train Your Dragon characters as for I will upload them on tumblr and if you'd like, here as well. :)

Enjoy :D

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><p>Her body felt just like a smooth, well kept, well treasured porcelain doll. So soft, so pale, glistening under the far hours after devoting herself deep into his groans and drives. Sleep, was only an option available and considered enough after allowing their souls collide and fuse themselves in one. Otherwise, their nights were cold and speechless. Worthless, long and simply absent. He would come home usually late in the morning when she had already fed and read self-stories of their younger days to their daughter before bedtime. It was either that way, or the other way around as at times, he would be the one taking late care of their three-year old and suddenly fall asleep while waiting for her to return from her own duties as the chief's wife and second in command-chosen by their own village.<p>

Still, those very few times they would meet each other, not so late in the intimacy of their home, they always found a way to scoot aside their daily pressures and worries and try as much as they could to show off their best humor in front of their little Herja, and then after all candles were finally blown out, little yet intense whispers and moans of love would be spread through the insides of their bedroom.

His loosened arm resting around her bare, moist waist. Fingers numbly twitching on her side. Lips catching soft, golden curls tangled around and all over them. Her body stirred, but ceased as her breathings got a little deeper. His eye opposite to the one entombed into the fur pillow underneath his head blinked open at the sudden faraway, startled cries coming from the other room. His throat released quick but exhausted groans as he slowly removed his arm from his wife's waist and pushed himself in a seated position, rubbing on his eyes with one hand and supporting his weight on the bed with the other.

"Da…daddy!"

Astrid also heard it. Both of her eyes snapped open and as if she had somehow been roped around her waist and just like a puppet, she rose herself from her laid position, swaying slightly side to side as she intended to keep herself balanced on the bed. "Herja! Wha….uh…the baby!" Numb, she ran both hands through her messy hair trying to release her face from all of those golden curly traps that kept her from being able to see at her surroundings with clarity. Then, a soft hand trailed up to find hers over her face and took a gentle hold of it, bringing it down to his dry-chapped lips and planting a soft kiss in them. Trapping her fingertips playfully in his mouth, as if teasing her to bite her.

"Relax…I'll go." Hiccup whispered, kissing her fingertips once more before letting go of her hand and taking a hold on the hem of the fur covers on her lap and slowly rose them back up to cover her newly exposed pale breasts. Leaning into her, burying his face in her neck and pushing his lips on her jugular, "You go back to sleep."

The words only crashed through her skin, but they were enough to push her back down by exhaustion and turn on her side, facing her husband, though her eyes were already closed once more. "Scream if you need backup." She mumbled.

Hiccup snickered and just nodded as he climbed out of bed, kneeled by the bed to take a hold of the tunic laying well forgotten on the floor. Sliding it on, his feet brought him further to the door as he kneeled back down and grabbed his pants, sliding them up before silently walking out the door.

"Daddy!" Again, another sobbing scream.

"I'm here…I'm here." Hiccup smiled a little helplessly as he walked into the girl's bedroom, reaching to the wooden single bed and peeking his head into the girl's weepy sight.

Herja sobbed, rubbing her fist on her eyes as she finally had a clear view of her father. Her tiny pale arms rose to him, pleading for more of his attention. His lips formed his usual loop-sided smile and reached down to her, holding her by her underarms and lifting her up to his arms. Embracing her dearly, running his other hand through her curvy, long, auburn hair. "Another nightmare?"

Herja just nodded twice after pushing her thumb deep into her mouth and her head laid tight against her father's chest.

"What happened this time?" Hiccup asked, still running his hand through her hair, which reminded him so much of his father's for the color and the smoothness of his mother's. "The trolls ate you?" He teased, grinning playfully down at her.

"No!" Her head shot back up at him, alarmed. Her big, bright blue eyes stood out wide at his own, "They wchased mew awround the house for my cwandy!"

Hiccup couldn't help but to slightly laugh at that, "So, the candy is much more important?"

"Mwommwy gwave wit to mwe!"

"Haha, alright, alright then. Trolls wont get your candy because if they do, they'll have to face a very angry mommy."

That seemed to have eased Herja's worry as her eyes relaxed and her head went back to the comfort of her father's chest and her thumb back into her mouth, being sucked on enthusiastically.

"How about, we go give mommy some company?" He asked her gently before kissing on her head, "Just for tonight."

Herja just nodded and curled herself closer against her dad. Hiccup took in a deep breath and held her close enough that anyone would guess he hardly wanted to let go of his very much loved first and only daughter. Once he silently entered his and Astrid's bedroom, glancing back down at her, he noticed she had slid her sleep-tunic back on. That relieved him. Having her nude and suddenly bringing their daughter to share the bed with them for the night would result in a brief argument for not warning her up first. But, this wasn't the first time either of them brought little Herja to bed with them. After each fright of passage, either of them would accompany her in her sleep so she would fall back into a peaceful and safe slumber. Maybe Astrid was already expecting this to happen….again.

Herja leaned forward from her dad's chest and Hiccup let her down close enough for her to spread her arms to her mother's body and grasp on her shoulders, having Astrid snap both eyes open and release a slight unexpected gasp but once she realized whose tiny arms curling around her neck were, both hands found her girl's back and hugged her close. "Hey baby." She whispered, "Nightmares?"

"Trolls wanted the candy now." Hiccup informed, smiling slightly amused as he removed the covers from underneath the girl and gently throwing them over the small of her back before walking around the bed and climbing back to it, laying a lot closer to his two most loved ladies.

Astrid faked a surprised gasp, to impress their girl, "What!?" She then pouted, "They get anywhere near your candy and I'll turn them into wolf dinner."

Herja laughed. Astrid smirked and Hiccup just snickered, releasing a soft and quick laugh as he helped Astrid get Herja off of her and lay her right between them.

The little girl's eyes were numb already, not even daring to fight the desires of falling asleep once again within the warmths of her parent's love. Astrid glanced back at Hiccup who rose himself just enough to lean over Herja and kiss Astrid's lips goodnight. Even through hardest times in the village as chief, Hiccup wanted to somehow be there for whenever his daughter needed him, no matter what….even through nightmares.


	2. Unborn Tears

Request from **Greenshade15** granted! I hope you don't mind, I used your idea of either of the options you wanted to see and I collided them into as part of the dream but instead turning it as if Hiccup was the one having it. You know...our loving and dearest Hiccup worrying about his girl...as usual. hehehe...! and, I hope you don't mind, I shared it on tumblr as well. :)

Oh! OH! before I forget, for all of those who are reading fanfiction Proving Yourself, I am developing the ideas for it so fear not! Chapter 8 will come up soon! I was also planning on bringing a little someone to Hiccup and Astrid's life in further...WAAAAYYY further chapters. muahaha...how cruel of me, right? Teasing you like that... grrrr... yeah I know it's torturing. but believe it or not, the ideas emerging uncontrollably in my head serve as a bigger torture. lol.

Fear not to request drabbles/short stories from me!

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><p>"Come on, Astrid. You can do it, just one more push." How many times have -one more push- become -the last push-? Valka's voice pierced uncomfortably through the stinging pain shocking her entire body as she felt how her muscles contracted in ways they have never even had before in her life—and she always loved a good workout. The warm, slippery feeling of blood squirting down her thighs, sent shivers throughout her body as she only prayed to the gods above within her mind to stop that endless blood-flow at once. But there was no response to her repetitive prayers that spilled every once in a while from her gritted teeth. This was no even close to the first time. To that last time…not even four years ago.<p>

Her biceps and triceps contracted as she grasped on the wooden holders by her side. Her nails were already messed up and her fingertips were full of the scrapped wood. Almost all of her clothing was taken off of her as she yelled on how hot it was starting to get. Sweat didn't feel like sweat anymore. It felt more like cascades emerging from her skin pores and drowning her into a sea of her own excretions.

With every contraction, the insides of her body felt as if they would tear, her bones cracked apart and her breathings became hollower. As much as she knew she had to keep on going and do her best to get this over with, her strengths were slowly ceasing within her. Soon, her silent prayers were replaced for pleads for strength instead. Even if she ran out of blood, at least she had enough strength to save not herself, but Hiccup's second child.

Yes, the baby's life was all that mattered for her. Even though she knew he wouldn't be pleased once he came through that door and only see a pair of eyes open out of two, she knew she had to give it one last try.

With one last deep inhale, Astrid screamed her lungs out from her vocal chords, her sore insides finally breaking irreversibly apart, releasing those stubborn little thighs until there was nothing more for her to excrete….nothing, but more and more scarlet fluid came out from her once stranger hands took a quick and gentle hold, and all the attention was brought entirely to the new creature within them, cleaning it, admiring it, and calling out for its anxious father to finally hold in.

"Dear Thor, blessed be this child you just granted our village as an early Snoggletog gift!" Valka exclaimed. But what Astrid could hear from her were distant lullabies afterwards, then the sound of a coordinated metal stomping into the room, making it obvious to identify those footsteps emerging from the entrance. Her eyes were struggling to keep themselves wide open, her soul threatening to fly away.

For her own surprise and relief, the torturing pain strangling her organs, muscles and bones decreased in its intensity. Now, all she could feel was how light her body suddenly began to feel.

"My boy…" Hiccup's soft voice was further than expected. As if he'd been speaking from the outside of their room. But as she tilted her head to the side and forced her blurry sight to focus on him, she realized he wasn't that far at all. Just a few ten feet from her, no more, no less. Within his nervous, slightly trembling arms, a bundle of silenced love, peacefully slept within. His smile was as bright and as sparkling as it was the very first time he held in their first child.

Wonderful father he has been, despite his worries and negative thoughts of not being so good at it, resulting to be much better than what they all expected. That, and knowing there was another woman willing to help him with the care of their now two beautiful shinning stars-his mother-, she now knew how she shouldn't worry about their future, as long as those three treasures of hers were healthily well.

Sight, became less important, colors made a slow fusion into a poor gray, then changed into mixtures of dark brown and green as a figure approached her and kneeled by her side. Warm hands brushing her messy, damp hair from her eyes and forehead. Lips crashing indecently on her uncolored cheeks, another hand resting on the lowest of her belly. Worthless whispers of hope spraying through her ears as his voice became the only faraway sound she could hear.

"Astrid? Hey…come on, don't….keep your eyes open. Please." Hiccup pleaded while his fingers slowly ran over her nearly closed eyelids.

"Grandma!" The pain returned. This time, it twisted her heart broken at the familiar sound of a curious little lady "I saw my daddy entering. That means I have a new sibling, where is it?! A girl right? Where is my mommy?!" Herja's face turned to see her mom still laying silence in bed. The puddle of blood surrounding her, froze the little girl as her eyes widened at the picture before her.

"Get her out of here!" Hiccup desperately growled, eyes welled up with unborn tears. Herja took his reaction, as a frightening side of her father she had never even imagined he'd possessed. When her tiny body was suddenly lifted to the arms of her grandmother, who hurriedly walked them out of the room, the last thing Herja's wide, shocked blue eyes saw was her father's head turning back to her lifeless mother, before the doors behind them were gently closed, "Mommy…?"

"No, wait!" Hiccup spat, sitting back up on his bed, all covered in sweat. His breathings fast and nearly impossible to bring some healthy oxygen into his lungs. Startled by the sudden hand that brushed up his bare, sweaty chest, lightly tangled fingers on the small hair on the skin that covered his sternum, then rising back down to where his fastened heart was to be.

"Hiccup?" Her voice was numb, almost silent as her chin rested on the back of his shoulder after kissing the back of his arm. "What's wrong?"

His breathings became shallow as he realized the reality, allowing his eyes to blink much slower, forcing his heart to slow its beats down for once and all. Being pushed back down to bed by her palm as her other hand held his arm close.

Hiccup shook his head, licking on his dry lips and pulling away from her hold to turn on his side, moving closer now to wrap his arm around her, using her pale shoulders as a cushion, allowing her distant heartbeat serve as a soft lullaby that would bring him back down to peace, taking in her rich lavender scent, as his fingertips absently danced over the small bump on her belly. "Just a nightmare. I don't want to talk about it."

His words sounded as if they were the key to relief as his breathings suddenly came back to normal.

Her hand rose to the back of his head and buried her fingers within those damp locks. Slightly pulling from it so he would relax back to sleep much faster. "Then don't think about it, anymore. Its over."

"I can't…its referent to that labor of yours. What if you don't make it?"

Astrid chuckled, cuddling him much closer to her as her other hand grabbed the hem of their fur blanket and draped their naked bodies back under, lovingly kissing his head. "Everything will be alright. We've been through this once already."

"Still…I don't thin—"

"I said, everything will be fine." She cut him off, kissing his head once more then pushing his bangs back up and kissing his forehead "It was just a bad dream. Nothing will happen."

Knowing Astrid wouldn't let him complain much longer, Hiccup just growled within him, yet, after a few more seconds of feeling her hands cuddle him in, only made him feel less worried about what the effects of his dreams would be. Apparently, dreams and nightmares were product of what you desire the most, or even what you feared the most. This time, it was clear that what Hiccup feared the most, was for his eternal young love to disappear in his life. Probably, that was the main reason why he always intended to keep her close. No matter how much they disagreed at times, or how little times they spent together after becoming chief. How little they made love to each other, how little they saw and enjoyed their current daughter, and the quick growth of their unborn child. Yet, as little times they would have for each other, each and every one of them were cherished until the end.

The thought of this, finally relaxed his entire body, as his eyelids draped over his eyes and sooner than imagined, his deep breathings accompanied hers.


	3. Untold Stories

AN: **Greenshade15, **I am overjoyed to know you liked how I developed your request into that last drabble! Thanks for being one of the very first to break the ice and testing my writing requesting something so cute! Like I said, I am enjoying this. xD haha.

I can see you guys are enjoying your little trip to Nightmare Realm! muahaha...! Which is why I just kept on adding random chapters to "Even Through Nightmares", since you guys insist on wandering through these halls a little longer hehehe... But you know guys, I can make ANY kind of short story you might have in your wish list to imagine. Just so you all know, and won't be all shy with me, I write all kinds of stuff, from gross violence to sexy smut so don't be shy to ask. :)

Notice from Proving Yourself readers: If you are currently wondering and stressing out for "UGH! why is this author writing drabbles when it could be focusing on the main story!? I'm dying to know what's happening next!" haha, well, I am working on Proving Yourself. But I can't write it as fast as I write these drabbles simply because I am growing very fond of that story and want to take it as easy as I can so there won't be any mistakes nor any details left out. But fear not, despite all the college work going on and the drabbles, I am halfway done with Proving Yourself Chapter 8. Might as well add some subtittles to each chapter but thats just unknown for now...

Well! Next here, is a little different than what you guys might expect. **Theanvil7558 **requested a short story where Herja has a specific nightmare, taking place on a specific scene back in HTTYD 2. I must admit, it was a little of a dare to me, but I also grew quite curious to know the answer to your very own question, **Theanvil7558. **Yet, I cannot deny I enjoyed every part of writing it. I must sincerely apologize if that scene where the story takes off doesn't have the kind of words you are looking for, but I only remember the spanish version of the movie. I just hope I got close enough after watching it so many times in the theaters! xD I also added a few details to the scene. So beware of that.

Biting my nails off for this one! I surely hope you like it! Let me know and don't be afraid of requesting other stories/drabbles! ^o^ (Oh and I also posted it on tumblr. remember, its scarletmilady )

Good night!

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><p>"No!" Yelling, the Night Fury hadn't even landed when Hiccup had jumped from its back, trying to stop Drago from intending to kill her mother-or anyone else by that matter-, taking his helmet off and tossing it to the icy grounds.<p>

Drago's eyes widened in surprise, eyeing the boy from top to bottom, shifting his expression from surprised, to unbelievably amused. "This, is the great Dragon Master, Stoick the Vast's son?" He laughed, leaning a little closer as he kept on, "What a shame, should he feel."

"All of this destruction, and for what?! To become unstoppable? To rule the world? Dragons…they are, kind. Amazing creatures that can bring people together."

Drago growled, just like a beast itself. Stabbing his spear in the cold snow beneath him, sliding his right hand under his armory, buckling it off and pulling what seemed now like a fake metal prosthetic arm "Or tear them apart."

Hiccup's expression shifted in a slight second from demandingly brave to slightly freaked. Until his brows played him a quick frown at the realization that they both, also, missed a limb. All to a Dragon… But that didn't stop him from standing straight on his positive insistence on changing Drago's mind.

Before he could say something else, Drago kept on, "You see, I know what it is to live in fear." He buckled his prosthetic arm back on "To see my home burnt down, my family, taken away. Even as a boy, left with nothing, I vowed to terminate the fear for Dragons. And liberate the people of this world."

"Then why a Dragon Army?"

Drago smirked, "Because you need dragons, to conquer other dragons."

"Or maybe you need dragons to conquer people." Hiccup frowned, "To control those who follow you, and to get rid of those who won't."

Drago laughed slightly within, "Clever boy."

Hiccup took slow steps back, "The world, wants peace. And we have the answer, back on Berk. Just…" His hand blindly trying to reach for Toothless' saddle, "….let me show yo—"

"No!" Drago cut him off. "Let me, show you."

That said, Drago let out a loud, terrifying scream, then another one, and a third one, all the while spinning his spear over his head, screaming a fourth time, a fifth time, sixth, seventh… Then facing back down at Hiccup, having the Bewilderbeast's full attention to him now, "No dragon, can resist the Alpha's command. So he who controls the Alpha, controls them all." His spear pointing from Bewrilderbeast, to Toothless.

The Night Fury, saw how the massive beast's eyes shrunk in unison to pierce its focus on him, sending some kind of powerful signal right through Toothless' brain, controlling every nerve cell, every blood flow, every struggle the dragon offered back as he tried to show how strong he was, not to let another huge dragon take over so easily. Yet, he was even unable to identify Hiccup's quests on what was going onto him.

But he wasn't exactly that strong…

His bright green eyes shrunk to a thin vertical line, his head poked up and as Drago swayed his spear once again and pointed straight at Hiccup "Witness true strength, strength of will over others. In the face of it, you are nothing."

"Hiccup!" Stoick yelled while stomping as fast and as hard as his hefty legs would allow him to, and beyond, as he made his impossible way toward his son.

"Stormfly!" Astrid's startled voice stormed through the dark clouds as soon as she saw Stoick nearly flying through all the ice and burnt ships, headed to what looked more like a terrifying scene of Toothless threatening his own best friend "Faster!"

Bitting down some blood from her lower lip as Stormfly obeyed her, Astrid only wished she had some chicken with her so she could encourage her dragon to stab herself faster through the winds.

"Toothless…come on. What's the matter with you?" Hiccup said, slowly backing off, as if stretching out his palm would make the heavy black, possessed dragon stop his uncontrolled final intentions. "No, no, no, no, no….come on, what are you doing? Knock it off!"

His voice only echoed in the black dragon's head, "Stop! Snap out of it!"

"Stormfly!" Astrid's nails dug into Eret's shoulders, her body on the verge of jumping out of the dragon, her heart choking her throat with every painful pound as her brain endlessly repeated the frightening possibilities of arriving too late.

Stoick swung himself from a newly cut sail rope, landing strong on the ground, not giving his body a chance to steady itself as he was already running with much more speed. "Hiccup!" Making his way across a newly fallen boat mast, his eyes widening as his heart feared not to make it in time. If Toothless wasn't going to respond, he just had to take his son out of the dragon's sight and aim.

But the boy was already circled, by a large iceberg on either side of his small body, behind him, and a large Night Fury covering his entrance. He was trapped…

Toothless's mouth slowly opened, purple smoke beginning to form within, "Noo!" Hiccup yelled,

"Son!" His head snapped to the side and his other hand stretched toward the bull of his dad running toward him, "Dad, no!" As if a boulder had just ran into him, for a brief moment, everything went black. His arms and legs ached from the crash, his breath was cut short. His head spun, but his eyes kept themselves wide in shock as he tried as hard as he could to realize what had just happened. Why did everything, after a loud BOOM had suddenly silenced.

Then, his head turned to the side, unable to believe what his eyes were showing him, he saw how Toothless spread dark green smoke from his perturbed breath, his eyes were still showing a thin vertical black line across them. To top it off, the next thing he saw, was a pile of icicles burying a motionless, hefty body. Using the kind of strength he didn't really know he had left, Hiccup stood up on his trembling feet, made one unsteady step backwards then pushed himself toward his dad. His slim arms trying as much as they could to remove as much ice as possible from his dad's lifeless body. Then, while screaming out his name, claiming a sign of life, trying to move this huge man to lay flat on his back, two slimmer hands helped him.

Valka then buried her head in her husband's chest, trying to find a heartbeat underneath all that fur, within all that meat.

Nothing….

Her eyes met Hiccup's. No words were needed for him to understand the dismay in them. "No…"

He couldn't believe it. The only man he believed wanted to control his destiny, yet the only one who actually wanted what was best not just for Berk, but also for his own son….was gone.

It felt just like a bad dream….a nightmare, a lie he wanted to get over with just a strong blink.

The pain was so much, he barely even noticed the Bewilderbeast releasing Toothless from its grip and turning away.

The Night Fury blinked, wondering what had happened within those minutes in trance. When he saw his rider, with his newly found mother, laying mourningly over his chief's body, on the cold ice, Toothless tilted his head to the side, utterly confused. Then glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of their usual gang landing with their dragons, just a few feet from him.

Astrid didn't even wait for Stormfly to fully land when she was already jumping from her back. Glancing forward, her heart stopped beating and her breath was cut short when she saw what had truly happened. Her feet didn't even wait for her brain to send out the order for move, when she had slid herself by Hiccup's side, glancing just enough seconds at Valka, with a hand rested on the lowest of Hiccup's back, the other on his shoulder, trying to let him know she was there.

Recognizing her touch, Hiccup leaned just enough, but didn't completely move from his father's chest. He was hurt, but a little of manly pride still remained. He didn't want Astrid, or his mother, or any of the other guys see him pouring down a river of tears.

Yet, the least he should have cared of, was that…

Astrid's head moved to Stoick's body. But her glance didn't really last a second when Hiccup rose his chest just enough to lean to hers, not really allowing his face to show up.

Hiccup could feel Valka's hand on his shoulder, pulling him to her. But he selfishly wanted to be in Astrid's arms only. Simply, because most of his life, all the while, ever since they grew close to each other, she had been the only one to comfort him. Maybe his body just grew fond of hers at times like these. Who knows?

Toothless got silently closer to Stoick's lifeless body, sniffing in the skin of his hand to try and understand what was going on. When he finally found out, that the man laying before him was forever gone from their lives, he pushed his hand over his head, to at least believe Stoick would just magically pat on his head just like how he used to every morning, every midday…every chance he got to be by his side. But instead of feeling a gentle pat, a rough push from Hiccup's hands was felt. "No! Get away from him!"

Astrid and Valka just looked at a scared Toothless being rejected by an angry and frustrated Hiccup. Even as Hiccup moved, and moved to scare the dragon away, Astrid's hand stayed low on his back, as if somehow getting ready to hold him back if needed.

"Go on! Get out of here!" Hiccup yelled once again. Toothless' eyes looked back up at his rider, as if asking through them 'do you really want me to go?' Or some so. But as Hiccup kept shooing him, Toothless shrug himself to the ground, and while being drowned in a sea of confusion and scare, he did as he was told.

Hiccup's body fell back seated between his mother and future wife. Surrendering his shoulders, neck and head as his eyes fell back down on his father after watching how his best friend, ran away from his sight, rejecting his mother's offerings of comfort and resting his hand on Astrid's thigh, nearly collapsing on her when she caught him soon enough to allow him rest his head on hers, taking in her scent to see if it relaxed him, at least a little.

Though, that didn't scare away the wonders beginning to haunt his head on how would it be if it had been him the one receiving the impact and not his dad. How would it feel to be the one being blasted with a powerful plasma blast and then hit down by a pile of icicles. How would it—

"Father! We….uh…ha…!" Panting, the young first born, descendant of the beautiful, fearless Astrid Hofferson and the wise First male dragon trainer, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third, had skipped from her bed and with unsteady feet, messy bright-dawn-toned, wavy hair brushing against her sweaty face, floating uncontrollably in the air as she ran out her room, sending silent prayers to the gods above that her parents would be well awake. Her knees crashed against the hardwood of her bedroom door as her hands blindly searched for the handle.

It should be around four in the morning or something… it was still very dark.

Once she finally took a hold of the handle, a quick pull opened the door and she ghosted through the halls directly to the last door on her right. Silently dropping herself on the floor by the door, numbly scratching on it, trying to find small ways to slightly push it open without alarming her parents.

Herja didn't want to wake them up. She just wanted to make sure they were….There.

She wouldn't just want to barge in….what if they were still asleep? Or even worse…what if they were well um….busy?

"You're up early…." Herja heard her father's sleepy, numb voice growling against what sounded more like the fur pillow. Her fingers gently pushed the door a little further, her right eye finally having the way wide open to peek in something from inside.

Astrid, was standing by the window, her back to Hiccup as she braided her hair over her right shoulder. "I couldn't sleep."

"Liar." Hiccup groaned. "You were more asleep than Stoick after his late night bath. You even snored!"

Herja saw how her mom snapped a sharp look back at her dad, over her shoulder. Then, after a slight second, her face softened, and she shrugged, "Well, that should let you know how tired I was."

Hiccup snickered, uncomfortably, "Hiyeah…so much, you couldn't wait a few more minutes."

"I did." She turned around, facing him, her braid was as beautifully and perfect resting over her shoulder. "I waited for you. But you delayed, once again and I fell asleep."

"Are we seriously having this conversation?"

"Aparently, we are. Mister -I-am-so-grumpy-today." She mocked him. Grinning playfully as she walked closer to the bed.

"Uh, no…I'm Grumpy because you pretend in waking me up too early." He pulled the covers back up, over his head.

"Anything else?" Astrid teased, sitting right beside him, leaning down to him, snaking an arm around his waist, searching for ways to playfully pinch on his sides, "Is that all you've got?"

"Astrid, stop." He wiggled underneath her.

Astrid grinned much more, leaning closer to her husband and raising both hands from his waist, to search for the hem of the fur blanket, until she struggled with him to remove it from his head. He wouldn't let her.

"Won't you let me in? It's still early, you know? Not to mention…really cold out here." After hearing that, Hiccup allowed his eyes to peek from the blanket and look up at her. Unsure. Uncertain of her evil little smirk.

She expected him to toss and turn around, away from her and ask her to let him sleep for a few more minutes. Just like other times. But to her surprise, within the flash of a second, Hiccup had sat back up, just quick enough to grab his wife by the arm and pull her back under the sheets, with him.

Oh no….was this truly going to happen now?

Herja knew she had to disappear. She wouldn't stay and see her parents in plain action. She was glad they were there and happily together. That her dream was just….that. A dream. Aside from all that….she just couldn't see her parents make love to each other. It would scare her for all eternity. Or worse….yet again, what could possibly be worse?

At the constant thought of that, the young lady sat back down on the floor, pushed her palms against the wood beneath her and began to push herself, slowly backwards.

"What in Helhaim are you doing?" The little man, claiming to be her smallest brother, wearing a simple dark brown tunic which hung from his left shoulder as if it fit bigger than expected, stood right by her, staring numbly down at her. He had messy auburn hair, dirty and tired light hazel eyes. Their father's cheeks, their mother's curls and tiny nose. His small, ten year old fist rubbing his eyes clean.

Herja kept crawling backwards, not really measuring where she was going for when her head smacked against the railings behind her. Hissing in pain, rubbing the back of her head, she frowned at her little brother, "What are you doing wide awake so early?"

"I should ask you the same thing." Stoick crossed his arms over his chest, frowning down at his sister.

"Ugh….nothing you'd care."

"But I do." Both, Stoick's and Herja's eyes broke open in shock, slowly, guiltily turning their heads to the side, catching their hissing mother standing right at the door, both hands resting on her hips, and their father's head shamefully peeking from her back.

"Mommy!" Stoick squealed and jumped to hug his mom's thighs tightly, then looked back up at her, "Herja was spying on you!"

"I was not!" Herja snapped "Lying little rat!"

"Herja. That's not a way to speak to your brother, is it?" Astrid said.

Herja just sighed aloud, knowing that no matter what she said, or did, in the end, it was all going to point against her for peeking into her parents room in the first place. "I wasn't spying." She declared still, not really in the mood for apologizing.

Standing up on her heels, Herja dusted on her sleeping tunic and hissed one last time at her brother, then stomped down the stairs. Astrid just patted on their son's head while Hiccup rose a brow, confused. Stoick unglued himself from his mother and ran down the stairs after his sister.

"You don't assume they saw something," Hiccup whispered into Astrid's ear "….do you?"

She shrugged her shoulders and started walking "See what? Nothing happened."

Hiccup pouted at her. His lips curled up in a disappointed signal as she just teasingly laughed while climbing down the stairs.

A while later, within the disturbing silence of the dining room where Astrid washed the dishes and Hiccup helped Herja and Stoick get ready for their day at training, Herja just stared down, emotionless at her father as she watched him kneel in front of her brother, buckling up the belts on Stoick's shirt. "Dad, why is Toothless still alive? He killed my grandfather."

Hiccup froze. His hands fell from his son's upper buckle as if some kind of ghost had snatched it away. When his eyes, slowly moved to find his daughter's, hers were seriously sharp while his were terrified. How in the world would he answer that? How did she even know? He had been strictly sure him and Astrid had agreed to limit the details from his father's death. So he couldn't possibly hiss at Astrid for something he was certain, wasn't her fault. Every Berkian had also understood his silence with his children. So who butted in? How did she find out?

"Answer me." Herja demanded. Soon, without even noticing her moves, Astrid was gently moving Stoick by the arm, away from Hiccup with one hand as the other took a stronghold on Hiccup's wrist and pulled him back up on his feet.

"Who told you that?" Were Hiccup's only words. His voice sounded sharp.

Herja just kept her frown and her fists tight by her sides, "I dreamt it. Toothless didn't deserve to be forgiven. Why do I still see him every day when he should have been executed?"

Hiccup opened his trembling lips to answer, but Astrid cut him off "Stoick, go with your dad right ahead. Herja and I will catch up later."

Hiccup gave Astrid an unsure glance. As if he didn't intend to obey her asking of leaving at once. But deep inside….that was all he actually wanted. To run off and not face any single creature throughout the day.

The sudden memories, were just too much to take in. Even after so many years.

Feeling as if a sudden burden had been pulled back from the grave, and tossed into his bundle of happiness, a shocked Hiccup gave his daughter one last glance, then walked past her, his wife and son, walking just like a vague bastard with no destiny ahead through the front door.

Stoick followed shortly after. In silence as well, not meaning to disturb his father, though when he reached him, his little hand took a daring hold on Hiccup's and even though he didn't even flinch, nor look down at his son, he just kept walking. Letting the warmth of his son's cheerful and innocent youth acompany him through the muddy roads.

Watching them go like that, Herja's face softened. Realizing she might just have hit a nerve she never even realized existed within her dear, loving father, her heart clenched. Fists relaxing back to loose fingers on her sides as a loud sigh was recklessly released from her lungs and her heavy feet started making their way to the front door, meaning to apologize for being the reason to awaken that long buried burden, when her arm was suddenly, gently held by Astrid's hand. Keeping her from taking one more step.

"Training and such can wait. We need to talk."

Herja felt as if her heart was being sunk down into the depths of her own ocean. Oh great….'now my mom will scold me for being rude.' She thought.

But to her surprise, Astrid slid her hand down Herja's arm until she reached her hand and held it gently in hers, guiding her daughter up the stairs. To hers and Hiccup's room.

Astrid thought it'd be best to talk up there. After all, it was a very private place. She didn't want anything distract her daughter from pouring down her doubts, worries and feelings. She wanted Herja to feel as comfortable as she could around her.

Once in their room, Astrid let go of Herja and stretched out her hand, inviting her daughter further inside.

Herja sighed once again, not daring to look into her mother's eyes as as she made her way to sit on the small bench by the window. Astrid climbed on the bed. Getting herself comfortable on Hiccup's side, grabbing his fur pillow and having it rest on her lap. She didn't say a word. As she usually did with Hiccup, Astrid just waited for her daughter to feel ready to speak.

No more than fifteen seconds of silence passed by, when Herja exhaled once more and from the painful silence haunting them both, staring out the skies from their window, her voice sounded soft, a little off…

"I had a dream….more like a nightmare. I saw everything, what looked like how grandpa Stoick died." She paused to bite on her lower lip "I saw how that horrid man pointed at dad with his scary spear and Toothless all of the sudden got crazy. Like….possessed or something. I saw how you were riding with that Eret guy, on Stormfly and commanded her to speed up before it was too late. Then, I saw how dad just wanted to become this only hero, peace defender and as if he believed Toothless would just magically stop his plasma blast from shooting out his mouth, grandpa Stoick, a really big, red haired guy pushed my dad away just in time, before the blast got him….it got through grandpa instead. Then, I woke up. I wanted to make sure it was just a bad dream and that dad was alright. So I jumped out of bed…." She looked down to her tangled fingers, playing with each other on her lap "….went to your door and peeked in. I saw you braiding your hair and heard dad argue with how early it was. But I felt relieved….to know it was indeed….just a bad dream."

Herja then frowned, "But, what I don't get, is why on Earth did you guys forgive Toothless? He murdered my grandpa. If he hadn't done that, I'd be able to meet him! If it wasn't because of it, dad wouldn't feel so depressed every time we mention grandpa's last wills. Or he wouldn't be looking at Stoick as if he was dealing with some kind of untouchable treasure! I'm so sick of it!" Her last statement, sounded more as if she was battling to control her own rage growing within, as she gripped on her dark, ocean blue dress.

Astrid waited a few more seconds. When Herja didn't say another word, Astrid understood that her daughter had said basically everything she wanted to.

So she took in a deep breath, then smiled warmly at her. Yeah, it pained having to revive those memories as well…Stoick was just like a father to her. Astrid's dad had died when she was very young and Stoick had always treated her like the only daughter he never had and always seemed to have wished for. So it did pain her… but, despite that, she also knew she couldn't just show Herja how much it hurt her having to revive these memories. Someone had to man-up and talk some sense into her. And Astrid wasn't willing to let someone else do that… "You think that….If Toothless hadn't shot Stoick, then you would have the privilege of meeting and enjoying his presence throughout your life, right?"

Herja just nodded.

"But, if Tooothless' blast hadn't hit Stoick, then what did?" Astrid asked.

Herja gasped, few seconds after realizing what her mother was asking. Her bright, deep blue eyes shot back up at her mother. "Dad…." her voice was a vague whisper. Her fingers found her chapped lips, and her feet soon pressed against the floor, pushing her body back on her heels as she slowly moved to her mother.

Astrid just continued talking, with a short nod, "Exactly. Which means you wouldn't even be here right now, having this conversation with me." Astrid sighed, dropping her eyes from her girl, and started tracing absent circles on Hiccup's pillow "I tried to reach him in time. But, no matter who got first, the blast was meant to hit someone. Hiccup has this kind of noble heart, no one has ever got to surpass. He wouldn't have willingly moved from Toothless' way. It cost him to believe his best friend could dare allow Bewilderbeast to control him and shoot at an impossible target. He believed he could talk some quick sense into the Dragon before it was too late. But his nobleness played a bad card on him that day. He realized, he wouldn't be alive if it wasn't because of Stoick suddenly pushing him away, sacrificing himself." She sunk her head within her shoulders "Maybe, if Stoick had been a little faster, the blast would have hit the ice behind him, or chop off his legs. But it didn't. Once he was shot, Bewilderbeast let go of his grip on Toothless and he came back to his senses….but, it was too late. Fire didn't kill Stoick the Vast….but a dreadful Plasma Blast across his sides, sure did." Her eyes closed, trying to hold back the unborn tears welling up,

"That was with Stoick….his body was in one piece….but, just imagine if it were Hiccup, the one taking in the shot."

"There wouldn't be even a limb left…" Herja finished for her. Astrid nodded, swallowing hard, as if a stone had taken place in her throat.

She wasn't afraid to show weakness before Herja. Yes, it was Hiccup the only one who had always seen her vulnerable side, but Herja was her daughter….her first born and she possessed so many traits from Hiccup, that Astrid just couldn't help sliding off that side every once in a while in front of her.

Herja sat right next to her mom. Snaking an arm around her waist and holding her as close as Hiccup usually does whenever he comforts her.

It surprised Astrid how Herja knew how to hold her just like Hiccup did….

'Had she seen Hiccup hug me like this before?' She wondered.

Hard to tell… it could be blamed on how much she took after her father, though.

Her forehead rested against Astrid's shoulder, and Astrid laid her head on Herja's. Moving a hand to reach her daughter's and hold it dearly on the girl's lap. Absently playing with her fingertips. "Toothless didn't know what he was doing, Herja. We all forgave him, because we all knew he wouldn't be capable of hurting Hiccup, or any of us that mean so much to him…While being in control of his own senses. That time, he wasn't. Drago ordered the Bewilderbeast to control Toothless and ordered him to kill Hiccup. Toothless tried to fight back, I saw it myself from the skies. But that dragon was too powerful even for the Night Fury."

Herja sighed, "So, he was forgiven….why didn't you tell me the real story? You said he was killed by a rebel."

"He was." Astrid pulled back just enough to look at her. "He was killed by Drago. In reality. The details weren't at all necessary because he was killed by a man who enjoyed controlling others and through cowardly hiding behind his control on dragons, he got what he wanted. To murder without reason, other than cowardliness and hatred."

Herja still didn't dare meet her mom's eyes "Toothless had nothing to do with it, then." She chuckled and shot herself back up from bed "I have to find dad….apologize or something."

"Wait." Astrid stopped her from moving any closer to the door with a sudden, tight grip on Herja's wrist. "Now is not the time."

Herja faced her mother, confused, "What?"

Astrid sighed, then got herself back together on one piece and smiled warmly down at her girl, raising a hand to her cheek and caressing it gently. "Wait, until tomorrow. Your dad will be shaken off all day for that and he might not want you to see him on that shape. Give him a day….to place his thoughts back in order. Then, say what you need to."

Herja leaned to her mom's touch and gifted her a warm smile, slightly nodding at her, pushing her hold away just fast enough to wrap both arms around the small of Astrid's waist, hugging her close as tight as she could, breathing in that sweet lavender scent that had always relaxed her insides.

"Mom…I…"

Astrid laughed, running her fingers through her hair, "Yeah yeah….I know. I love you too."

She knew how prideful Herja might be at times….Hel, she got that from Astrid herself! So she knew when the affections were coming and when they were having a hard time being released.

Herja just giggled against her mom's clothes and snuggled her nose against her bellybutton a few playful times. Mimicking Stormfly.

Later that night, Herja waited for her dad's arrival. But seeing how much he delayed in coming back home, she decided to go back to bed and just do as her mother adviced….wait till morning.

It was around two in the morning and Herja still couldn't glue an eye to sleep. She stayed staring up at the wooden ceiling above her. Both hands resting on her tummy, thumbs battling with each other, when her door suddenly cracked open and a slim, uneasy shadow brushed silently in.

She didn't move. Probably, Astrid came in to check on her. Just…maybe…

But it wasn't Astrid. If it were, then the door would be closed in no more than five seconds. Then, she felt her free space on the bed be occupied by the shadow's owner. Her hands above her stomach began to tremble in fear. Not really knowing what to expect from this stranger sitting on her bed.

It wasn't Stoick….This body was way bigger than his own.

Shit…I should have listened to mom and sleep with a dagger underneath my pillow…she thought. When all of the sudden, a big, slim, somewhat-rough hand met her cheeks. Realizing those hands were familiar enough not to begin screaming out like a lunatic, one thumb slowly began rubbing against her jawline.

These hands….smelled like warm metal…

"Daddy…?" She whispered.

"Hey…" He whispered back.

Her eyes welled up, and her hand quickly rose up the one touching her, to grasp on his wrist "Daddy, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I had a really bad dream and—"

A finger blocked her lips from releasing more words. "Shh… it's okay. I understand."  
>Herja's eyes released small, warm, salty tears as she tried to desperately find her dad's hurtful green eyes. But all she could see, were too big black balls on his face, the line of green around them was so thin, it wasn't even possible to say it was actually there.<p>

"Did mom tell you?"

Hiccup nodded. Herja scooted over and blindly offered a side of her bed for her tired father to lay in.

He got her message, pulled his hand from her cheek and laid down by her side. Reminded on how he used to acompany her in her sleep at times back when she was a child, Herja moved to lay her head on Hiccup's shoulder and rested both hands on her tummy once again. Facing the ceiling.

After long minutes of awkward silence between them, Hiccup sighed aloud, "I learned, that my dad's sacrifice, wasn't in vain. He wanted me to live the kind of life I wanted for myself combined to what he had always dreamt to see. Not getting in the way in time, he would have spent the rest of his life feeling sorry for himself, Astrid would probably have to set sail to another island, in order to make alliance marrying someone else." At that last part, Hiccup released a selfish snicker "He was always so proud of her. So much, he babbled every once in a while he would do whatever it took to keep her locked up just to prevent any other man from marrying her. He always made it clear that she was to stay in Berk, and when he found out about our little connection between each other, he became more eager and assured me several times that, no matter the laws of weddings between strong tribes to create a stronger village, she was to stay in Berk, be the mother of his grandchildren. Period."

Herja laughed, especially on how her father finished off Mimicking his long dead dad's voice. Then, he chuckled, "I don't know how could you possibly live that day in your dreams. The only logical explanation that came up to me, was that Dad wanted to test my reactions after all these years, by showing my first born what had truly happened. See if having you awakening those hurtful memories, would make me change my mind on everything else."

Herja looked up at him, "You really think that?"

"There are many mysteries about Valhalla and how the gods, heroes and valkyries work up there. Who knows? What I know, is that that's what I would name your nightmare."

She hummed, thoughtfully, "Hm, probably… But I saw the dream as if I was living it. It was terrifying."

"Imagine actually being part of what happened back then…how terrifying would that be?" He teased.

Hiccup then relaxed his arms and pulled her closer, also staring up at the wooden ceiling above them. Long seconds passed by as he tried to keep himself as calm as he could despite all those bad memories trying to haunt his head all day long. "I have a lot to thank him…As much as I have a lot to forgive Toothless for."

Those, were his very last words before silence took over them once again. Herja didn't think talking back would be necessary. She thought it was best to just leave it like that. She said she was sorry, he didn't accept her apology because he didn't think it was even needed to be spread. He was willing to visit her room that very same night and not behave like a complete stranger for the rest of the week. He even chose to spend the night with her despite what she had done….After stabbing back down into a long sealed wound.

That….was the kind of father she wouldn't have changed for other. Next time, she had to make sure her mouth wouldn't scare his good sense of humor once again…


	4. Bittersweet Skin Marks

AN: Another request granted! This one from **Greenshade15. **Oh, and I have actually heard from those myths before! I find them quite interesting! It's like having a mysterious story written in our own skin! SO COOL! I tried as I could to develop your ideas into a nice little drabble. I hope you like it :3 You and everyone else of course! haha, but, you mentioned how much you loved little Stoick so I made him a lot younger in this chapter than the previous one. And now you're getting lots of him. muahahaha! (I also shared it on tumblr as I do with all of them)

Well guys, I'm off to keep writing Proving Yourself's next chapter. I have so many ideas and not much time! Ooo so exciting! I'm still open for more requests for drabbles/short stories. I was planning on making a sexy smut between you-know-who but I don't know...You tell me. *shrugs*

**Theanvil7558,** it was your birthday!? NO WAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am so glad I hit the spot in time granting your request! It really made my day you telling me that. :")

Oh my gosh People! You are too cruel by making me feel so happy! *Sniffs like a baby* xD Anyway! enjoy!

* * *

><p>"...And slash!" Herja swung her sword, eyes wide open "That beast's eye slipped out of his face, getting stuck on grandfather's sword! Slimy and gooey strangeness oozed down the blades, turning a sudden, strange shade of greenish mucus down the metal. Jurgon drowned in his agony for his newly lost eye, covering his face under his sharp claws and unbalanced, he tripped over a fallen trunk!" She jumped on the bed, supporting her weight on her knuckles, leaning closer to her already scared little brother with her thrilling low tone "No one knows what happened to him next. The only trace found, were greenish slime all over the ground leading to the mysteries of the Dark Forest, where <em>no<em> _one_ has ever willed to go in after believing Jurgon blindly ghosts through the woods, in search for his revenge on the Berkians...Guaaarg! Gaaar! Waauur!"

"Stooop!" Stoick yelled high pitched, trembling uncontrollably under the furred sheets as his sister fell on her butt on the floor, snoring out a laugh after seeing her little brother's frightened reaction.

"Wha...what is that yelling...?!" Hiccup burst through the door, lighting the nearly completely dark room with the lit candlestick he held on his right hand, and holding the door handle with the other, his brows furrowed, "I thought I sent you both to bed hours ago."

Herja was still laughing her entrails out, not snoring anymore, though she kept on pressing both hands against her stomach as if that would make the straining pain go away. "Ha...just...ha...dad! Just...look at his _face_!" She pointed straight at her brother, who was still siting straight on his bed, holding the covers up to his tiny nose. Eyes welled up and cheeks sparkling new signs of silent tears marking their territory already on his skin.

Hiccup chuckled, walked further in, trying not to step on his amused daughter, he carefully skipped around her and then sat by his son. Placing the candle-base on the little wooden table by the bed. "Your sister playing pranks on you again, isn't she?" His hands found Stoick's small waist and lifted him just enough to sit him on his lap. Leaning closer to his ear, "Should we punish her for that?" He teased in a whisper that wasn't exactly _that_ low since Herja quickly got over her laughing session and both eyes shot back at her father with a sudden stun, then shifted to abhorred,

"But, dad...it was _just_ a story!" She defended herself "Nothing wrong about that. You and mom do it all the time!"

"You're a liar!" Stoick yelled, frowning straight at her.

She huffed, "Well, would you rather hear that a rat kissed your side and left you a little reminder of love!? Or would you rather hear a troll came in while you were sleeping and slit that area slightly open with a knife to use your blood as a little late night snack?"

"Trolls don't drink human blood!"

"What do _you_ know? Have you _seen_ one yet?"

"_No_, but neither have you!"

"Okay, guys, stop." Hiccup interrupted. Then looked back at Herja, slightly pouting "I'm pretty sure our stories don't leave you and your brother scared to death right before bed. Do they? Because if they do, then I'll have to find some other effective ways to put you two to sleep early."

She snorted, crossing both arms on her chest and glancing stubbornly away, "He asked about it anyway."

Hiccup rose a brow. "Huh?"

Herja shrugged, "The birthmark. He's been bugging me about it since last week. So I told him a story about its origin."

Hiccup slightly frowned at her. "And what exactly _is_ its origin?"

Stoick's body had finally relaxed. Thanks to Hiccup's hand gently rubbing on his tummy, holding him close to his chest. The boy was eagerly sucking on his thumb, while his eyes grew numb with every slight rock Hiccup gave him.

"Aren't you a little old for thumb sucking?" Herja rose a brow at her brother, avoiding her dad's question. The six year old just turned his head away from her and kept on sucking on his thumb as if nothing in the world could make him stop enjoying this kind of exclusive cuddle from his dad.

She rolled her eyes, then sighed as she noticed her father staring down at her, still curious to know the answer to his question.

"I told him a story about Jurgon. A demon-beast haunting the dark forest in search for vengeance over Berkians after grandpa Stoick confronted him when he was young…Like _you_!"

Hiccup suddenly found himself trying to hide his desires of breaking out laughing. Instead, he bit on his inner cheeks and cleared his throat, "And um..._what_ exactly does a suddenly-made-up story have to do with a birthmark across his left side?"

Herja shrugged her right shoulder, looking away, playing with her messy locks over her chest "Because according to what you've told us, grandpa was fighting something threatening Berk from the darkest insides of the forest. That might be linked to why he has a weird mark on his side. Who knows?" She pointed a finger up then, as if trying to make up a reasonable explanation, in a hypothetical soft voice. Sounding more like Hiccup when he wants to make up a logical point "Besides, legend says, that Jurgon wanders through the forest in search for not just his vengeance, but to possess the marked offspring of the son of one of the most recognized and valued chiefs of all times."

"Or, it's just as part of his body as my freckles are to my face and shoulders." Hiccup snickered, "Honey, I appreciate how you admire your grandfather but that story….ei, um, you just _made it up_."

Herja smirked, shrugged both shoulders mischievously, and inflated her cheeks, playfully at her dad before making her usual piggy-nose, in affection, at him. Hiccup smiled, not really helping it.

"Sto-stooick... Stooiick...gwan...raaa..."

"W-who is there!?" Stoick's eyes skipped from tree to tree as his tiny fingers felt numb enough not to be able to feel anything anymore for nibbling on them to the point of unintentionally tearing off a drop of blood from them.

The groaning continued. Not so many northern feet from him, cracks of dead wood on the floor getting louder by the second, growls catching up with the slowly increasing volume of matching footsteps.

"C-c-coward, show your face!" Stoick yelled. Trying to mimic what he had learned from watching his mother train in the woods. Intending to seem strong, fearless, _and untouchable_. But…he was _far_ from all those traits. Feeling as though he could magically pop to be bigger, taller, and beefier. His feet trembled endlessly, and as if no tree nor obstacle had existed for a brief moment, a big black bear with just one glowing green eye and a hollowed region where his other eye was supposed to be, emerged from the shadows, drawing his arm back and swung it ahead.

Stoick had to thank his reflexes for crouching down on the ground and push his knuckles against the soil, regaining the kind of strengths he never even knew he possessed to flash away as fast as his little legs could take him.

The beast chased the boy down the hill, through the darkness, allowing his one good eye and far older instinct guide him all the way to his prey. Big, sharp teeth baring brightly from his scrappy and deformed pink-with-red-dots-gums.

Stoick's feet slipped on liquid mud and had him falling back on his butt, rolling down what was left of the knoll. When the rolling finally came to an end, his head shook side to side. As if that would stop it from dangerously spinning, when a paw grabbed on his tunic and as the boy gasped aloud and pushed himself back on his feet, his intentions to run away made the beast rip his tunic from his little body and leaving him bare-chested.

His running led him to what seemed like a cove. His eyes desperately scanning the place. Realizing that the only way out, was to climb up an instable wall of old tree roots, unsteady rocks and moist soil. But the sound of trees falling down and breaking in half became louder, warning him that if he didn't hurry up, he might become a demon's dinner right there and then.

So he did as his impulses told him to. Rushing over the nearest ground wall, Stoick took a firm hold of a wide tree root, supporting his heels on the steadiest rocks and carefully began climbing up when his body was tackled by a strong grip on a leg and then his back smashed against the cold soil. Groaning in pain, the boy couldn't keep himself from halting his intends to slip from the beast's strong grip on his little legs. The beast moved over Stoick's body, slimy and sharp long canines threatening his facial skin, slavering heavy, poisonous drops all over his eyes and nose as the beast sniffed all over the boy's head. Its mouth opened big and wide, a long and hungry growl being released from within and with a slow lean forward, tongue sliding out ta—

"Aaaaaa….! No!"

Running off his despairs and tremors, the boy tripped on what felt more like a wooden toy on the floor, few feet before the closed door of his room. But he was too rushed to stay and actually take a look on what had been on his way. His knees slid on the wood before steadying himself up on his feet and with another heartbeat, he flashed out his room and past the hall, tiny hands crashing against that distinguished door at the right end. Because of his tiny body, even as hard as he might have thought he pushed the door open, it only cracked slowly from him. He peeked his head in, teeth munching on his moisten lips.

Eyes searching for his parents. But as he could only see one bundle under the fury bed sheets, he tiptoed in and made his way to it. Not even standing by to see exactly what or _who_ was peacefully sleeping in that big mattress, Stoick carefully climbed on the far end of the bed's frame, slowly crawling his way onto the bundle and as soon as he felt startled hands hold on both of his little feet, his chest collapsed on that slim one underneath him. Tears suddenly welling from his eyes, forehead buried in an oh-so-familiar-soft neck. Clearly hearing the sound of saliva going down the esophagus as this human swallowed. Slim, long fingers running up his shaky back, then back down, and back up again. Lips planting a sweet, lasting kiss on his temple as a soft voice whispered into his ears, scaring away the screaming voices of what was left of his recent nightmares. "What's wrong, Stoick?"

Stoick didn't answer. He just rose his hand up his father's chest and stuck his thumb's tip in his mouth, then pushed the whole thing in. Trying to calm his breathings under his dad's caring touch.

"Did you have a bad dream? About what your sister told you?"

"What if it _is_ true?"

Hiccup chuckled, holding him closer, "They are _just_ stories, son. Myths…well, _this_ _one_ was actually made up by your sister, though. But they are still things that are meant to frighten you and by the looks of it, you fall right into her trap." He teased.

Stoick looked up at him, "But I _do_ have a mark on my side!"

Hiccup nodded, "A _birthmark_. And me as well." He moved his son just enough so he could take a nice and perfect look on his father's face "See all these little brown spots across my cheeks?"

Stoick lifted himself a little higher to take a better look. Pulling his thumb from his mouth, stretching out his hand and running two moist, tiny fingers on his dad's cheekbones, tracing those strange dots that adorned his face. Hazel eyes moving along his finger, as if they were the ones controlling his every movement.

Hiccup smiled, not really helping it as he moved a hand from Stoick's back and slid his tunic down his shoulder just enough for his son to take a peek on the freckles on his supraclavicular region. "And here too. See?"

Stoick's fingers trailed from his dad's face to the long horizontal bones below his neck. "Do they hurt?"

Hiccup laughed, shaking his head "Of course not. They are called birthmarks. You are born with them. They tend to show up as you grow up."

Stoick snapped his eyes back at his dad, "Will I have those too!?"

Hiccup shrugged, "Probably."

Stoick stayed quiet. He leaned back on his dad's chest. Hiccup pulled the covers back over them, snuggling his son closer to him as he started rubbing on the small of his back. The boy pushed his thumb into his mouth once again joyfully sucked on it. "Does mommy also have marks like mine?"

"She does…" Hiccup thought about Astrid's bare body for a second, trying to remember at least _one_ birthmark he could tell his son for the moment but before he could even scan the memory of her body in the far back of his head, Hiccup's lips formed a mischievous smirk before saying "…there is _this_ _one_ mark on the right side of her neck, though…." When he found out to _whom_ he was giving out that kind of intimate information, Hiccup's cheeks flushed and his tongue entangled itself, holding back those words that intended to come out and probably make his son start asking more and more questions until he found himself in the uncomfortable position of admitting he was referring to a mark being formed while making love to his mom, not many days ago. "Um, uh…erm…but _that's_ not really _that_ important, son….um…why don't we get some sleep? Tomorrow we can continue talking about birthmarks if you like."

Stoick just nodded. His eyes growing tired, making it harder to keep them wide open. "Where is mommy?"

"She hasn't come home yet. She said she'd be late tonight."

Stoick didn't answer. His hand relaxed while the other remained with its thumb in his mouth. His breathings finally coming to an ease. In no less than twenty more seconds, both of them were sound asleep. One comfortably laid over the other's chest. The boy took in a nice dose of burnt metal scent while the father enjoyed that sweet, innocent and childish scent emerging from his own son.

Stoick knew he would keep on asking his father about the meaning of birthmarks as soon as he had another chance to do so. He knew he would probably be awakened sometime in the night when his mother came in and got in bed with them, then he would most likely stalk her neck, searching for that strange mark his dad had told him of.

He still didn't exactly understand the fair meaning of birthmarks. Where do they come from? What do they mean? Do they have legends hidden behind, just like a scar? Do they belong to a myth? Why do some of them even appear on the skin all of the sudden while growing up? Did it have something to do with when he was being carried in his mothers' womb? What or who did his grandpa fight in his far past? Where Herja's stories _any close_ to the truth? Had they been proof that there was a good battle behind their name? Does his grandfather really have something to do with this specific birthmark?

Guessing it was only a matter of time to discover the answer for each of his troubled questions, little Stoick knew his one-inched, light browned, thin as a minor scar birthmark, was still meant to be a mystery he yet had tasked himself to resolve over time.


End file.
